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Moscow on the Hudson
Moscow on the Hudson is a 1984 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Robin Williams, directed and co-written by Paul Mazursky. Williams plays a Soviet Russian circus musician who defects while on a visit to the United States. The film was released on April 6, 1984. Williams's co-stars include María Conchita Alonso (in her film debut), Elya Baskin as the circus clown, Savely Kramarovas one of two KGB apparatchiks, Alejandro Rey as the musician's immigration attorney, and Cleavant Derricks as his first American host and friend. Contents http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_on_the_Hudson# hide *1 Plot **1.1 In Moscow **1.2 Defection in New York **1.3 Life in the Big Apple *2 Cast *3 Reception *4 Conception and filming *5 Litigation *6 References *7 External links Plothttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moscow_on_the_Hudson&action=edit&section=1 edit The story begins on a New York City bus, with Vladimir (Robin Williams) advising a newly-arrived Frenchman how to get to his destination. He tells the Frenchman that it is always difficult getting around the city when one first arrives. Vladimir then begins remembering his own arrival from Russia, and the scene shifts to Vladimir riding on a Russian bus some time earlier. In Moscowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moscow_on_the_Hudson&action=edit&section=2 edit Vladimir, a circus musician, arrives late to rehearsal. Boris (Savely Kramarov), one of the apparatchik assigned to the circus, criticizes him and implies that he may miss their approaching trip to New York. Later, while Vladimir is riding with his friend, circus clown Anatoly Cherkasov (Elya Baskin), Anatoly expresses his discontent with life in Russia; while buying black market gasoline, Anatoly reveals to Vladimir that he plans to defect during the upcoming trip. The next morning, Vladimir is intercepted by the two circus-assigned apparatchik waiting at the entrance, who "keep an eye on" Anatoly during the trip to the United States . Defection in New Yorkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moscow_on_the_Hudson&action=edit&section=3 edit The Moscow circus arrives in New York and are shuttled around in a chartered bus. During the ride, Anatoly writes "freedom" in the dust on the bus window, and Vladimir quickly wipes it off. The performers stay at a Howard Johnson Hotel, where Vladimir reveals to Anatoly that it is no coincidence they are sharing a room together because the apparatchik want him to "spy on" Anatoly. The next day during the opening circus performance, Anatoly attempts to defect but is met by the apparatchik agents. The following day, the performers are allowed to shop at Bloomingdale's before their return to Russia. Vladimir meets Lucia Lombardo (María Conchita Alonso), a perfume clerk, while attempting to buy blue jeans. Anatoly tells Vladimir that he is going to defect in Bloomingdale's. Vladimir angrily challenges Anatoly to just do it. Anatoly, shadowed by apparatchik, loses his nerve. As the performers are being led back to the bus, Vladimir then announces his intend to defect to a store security guards, Lionel Witherspoon (Cleavant Derricks). The apparatchik, who had been distracted by their shopping, rush over to prevent it. A chase ensues, ended in Vladimir's attempt to hide behind Lucia's counter. Orlando Ramirez (Alejandro Rey), an immigration lawyer, approaches and gives Lucia his card to give to Vladimir. After trying to hide inside Lucia's dress, Vladimir crawls away through Bloomingdale's but once again encounters Lionel. Boris and the other Apparatchik arrive and confront Vladimir, but Lionel defends him. Boris first pleads with Vladimir to return and then threatens, but Vladimir repeats, "I defect", to the cheers of the rapidly assembling crowd. Connie Chung and an CBS News crew are already on scene. The FBI arrive and interview Vladimir about why he is defecting and whether or not he has relatives or friends in the United States. Lionel, basking in the glare of the media, offers to take in Vladimir after revealing he knows no one in the United States outside of Lionel and Lucia. As a final parting gesture, Vladimir rushes out onto the street as the chartered bus of circus performers is leaving and says goodbye to his saxophone, which had been left on the bus. He also communicates to Anatoly that he is now free (a free bird). Life in the Big Applehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moscow_on_the_Hudson&action=edit&section=4 edit Lionel Witherspoon (Cleavant Derricks), an African American security guard who has just protected Vladimir from his furious Russian handlers during Vladimir's defection at Bloomingdale's, takes him home to Harlem to live with Lionel's mother, unemployed father, sister, and cranky but good-hearted grandfather—a living arrangement noticeably similar to that of Vladimir's family back in Moscow. With the help of sympathetic immigration attorney Orlando Ramirez (Alejandro Rey), a naturalized citizen from Cuba who witnessed Vladimir's defection, Vladimir soon adapts to life in America. Vladimir attempts to find work despite speaking little English and fearing the threat of his former KGB handlers. He initially lives in poor neighborhoods and takes low-paying jobs such as fast-food service, limousine driver, and sidewalk merchant. Vladimir starts a relationship with Lucia. At a party celebrating Lucia's becoming an American citizen, Vladimir proposes to her; but she refuses and breaks up with him. A little while later, Lionel decides to move to Alabama to be with his young son; and Vladimir learns from a friend of his sister that his beloved grandfather back home in Moscow has died. Grieving, Vladimir goes to a Russian nightclub to ease his mind. When he returns home, late to his apartment building and drunk, he is mugged. He later reports the incident to the police with Orlando present, and the two go to a diner where Vladimir rants about his misfortunes. A nearby Russian immigrant overhears the conversation, and interrupts Vladimir to disagree, leading the two into a tense confrontation that is settled after Vladimir comes to appreciate his good fortune of living in America. Soon after, Lucia reunites with Vladimir telling him that she is not ready for marriage but would love to live with an immigrant. Vladimir gets a job as a saxophonist. He encounters the former apparatchik Boris operating a hot dog stand. Casthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moscow_on_the_Hudson&action=edit&section=5 edit *Robin Williams as Vladimir Ivanoff *María Conchita Alonso as Lucia Lombardo *Cleavant Derricks as Lionel Witherspoon *Alejandro Rey as Orlando Ramirez *Savely Kramarov as Boris *Elya Baskin as Anatoly Cherkasov *Yakov Smirnoff as Lev The film features Soviet comedic actor Savely Kramarov, as the apparatchik/KGB officer, in one of his first Western film roles. The three Russian actors Kramarov, Oleg Rudnik, and Elya Baskin also appear together in the film 2010 as cosmonauts. Kramarov and Rudnik play the two KGBagents always shadowing Vladimir and Baskin plays Vladimir's friend the circus clown. Stand up comedian Yakov Smirnoff also has a minor role in the film. Williams learned Russian in a crash course for the film and also learned to play the saxophone.[1][2] Receptionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moscow_on_the_Hudson&action=edit&section=6 edit The film garnered positive reviews around the time of its release, and was moderately successful at the box office, bringing in $25 million in ticket sales. It currently holds an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. Conception and filminghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moscow_on_the_Hudson&action=edit&section=7 edit According to Director Mazursky, the idea for the film came from Mazursky's own grandfather's emigration from Ukraine through Russia nearly 80 years before. In developing the script, the director contacted the Russian immigrant community and made his first trip to Russia. "Most Russians," noted the director at the time, "are just trying to survive. Yet, all Russians who leave their country leave behind something they treasure and love. It's a terrible conflict for them, so the act of bravery is overwhelming." After considering many locations for the Moscow portion of the film, Mazursky settled on Munich, based on the flexibility Bavaria Studios offered him with full control over an authentic "Eastern European street."[3] Litigationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moscow_on_the_Hudson&action=edit&section=8 edit The poster, depicting a bird's eye view of New York with Moscow and Russia beyond, prompted a lawsuit by artist Saul Steinberg. Steinberg alleged that the movie poster infringed the copyright in "View of the World from 9th Avenue", his famous cover illustration for a 1976 issue of The New Yorker magazine. The district court agreed and awarded summary judgment to Steinberg in Steinberg v. Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., 663 F. Supp. 706 (S.D.N.Y. 1987). Category:1984 films